Copy-holder.



I N. K. BOWMAN.

COPY HOLDER:

APPLICATION FILED PEBA, 1909.

Patented Mar. 29,1910.

A; AA

NEW'TON K. BOVIMAN, OF NORTH LAWRENCE, OHIO.

COPY-HOLDER.

Application filed February 4, 1909.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NEWTON K. BOWMAN, citizen of the United States, residing at North Lawrence, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Copy-Holders, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is an improved copy holder for stenographers notebooks, letters, manuscript and other writing generally, which will be composed of comparatively few parts that may be cheaply manufactured and easily assembled; which will be adjustable as hereinafter described, and which will be efficient in operation in holding in plain view the written or printed matter that is to be copied. And the inven tion also has for its object, in a device of this character, an improved construction and arrangement of retaining plate designed to extend over the page or leaf that is being copied, so as to hold the same in properly spread-out condition, irrespective of any folding or creasing to which it may have been subjected.

With these and other objects in view that will more fully appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions and arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved copy holder; and, Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, the section being taken through a portion thereof just above the base bar or ledge that is designed to directly support the notebook or the like.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawing by the same reference characters.

My improved copy holder comprises an easel -like frame embodying longitudinal bars 1 to which the legs 2 are pivotally connected at their u per ends so as to support the device and a low it to be folded into a compact space so as to be out of the way when not in use. The side bars 1 of the frame are connected together by cross bars 3 which, in the present instance, are three in number, namely: a cross bar at the upper end of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

Serial No. 4%,608.

frame; another cross bar near the lower end of the frame, and an intermediate cross bar, as shown. To hold the device upright with the legs properly spaced from the frame, I provide the legs with a cross bar 41 designed to be detachably engaged by a brace 5 which extends thereto from the intermediate cross bar 3 of the frame.

An intermediate longitudinal bar 6 is secured at its upper and lower ends to the intermediate cross bar 3 and the lowermost cross bar 3, said longitudinal bar 6 being provided with a longitudinal slot 7 in which a set screw 8 works. This set screw also works through an arm 9 depending from the middle of a vertically slidable base bar or shelf 10 upon which the notebook or the like is designed to rest at its lower edge. The shelf 10 is provided at its ends with upwardly extending ears 11 formed with substantially horizontal slots 12 designed to accommodate pins 13 which project outwardly from the lower corners of a preferably metallic frame 14, rectangular as shown. The frame 14: is thus pivotally mounted at its lower end upon the shelf 10, and to the said frame is connected a panel 15 of celluloid or similar translucent substance, the frame and panel together constituting a leaf-retaining plate intended to be swung upwardly and against a sheet or leaf applied to the copy holder to hold the same in properly spreadout condition, no matter what the previous creased condition of the sheet or leaf may have been. By the provision of the celluloid or similar panel 15, it is obvious that the sheet or leaf on the copy holder may be spread smoothly out and kept in such condition, while at the same time, the translucent character of the panel permits the writing or printing on the sheet to be readily seen.

In order to hold the sheet-retaining plate in its operative position after being swung up against the face of the written or printed matter on the copy holder, I have provided spring clips 16 which may be riveted or otherwise secured to the longitudinal bars 1 near the upper ends thereof, and which extend forwardly and inwardly so as to frictionally engage the side edges of said plate and hold the same securely in place, while at the same time they make provision'for accommodating different thicknesses of material held by the plate. This function is also assisted by means of the laterally movable connection between the lower end of the plate and the shelf or base bar 10, as it is evident that the pins 13 may be moved in and out in the slots 12, that is, toward and from the front faces of the longitudinal bars 1 of the main frame.

Whenever it is desired to turn the leaf of a notebook, for instance, or to remove the sheet being copied, it is only necessary to swing the sheet-retaining plate outwardly and downwardly, this movement being limited by arms 17 which are pivotally connected at one end to the sides of the frame 14, and which are formed with inturned opposite ends 18 designed to engage the rear edges of the bars 1 when the frame 1% is swung out.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A copy holder comprising a frame embodying longitudinal bars, cross bars and an intermediate slotted longitudinal bar connected to the cross bars, a shelf provided with a depending arm and a set screw working in the slot in the intermediate longitudinal bar and adjustably connecting the arm to said bar, and sheet-retaining means carried by said shelf.

2. A copy holder, comprising a frame, a shelf carried thereby and formed with upwardly extending ears, and a sheet retaining plate provided at its lower corners with outstanding pins journaled in said ears, the

nected to the same, legs pivotally connected 1 t0 the longitudinal bars and supporting the frame, a shelf having a vertical adjustable connection with the longitudinal bars, and a shelf retaining plate pivoted at its lower end on said shelf.

5. A copy holder, comprising a supporting frame embodying longitudinal bars, a shelf supported by said frame, a sheet retaining plate pivotally mounted at its lower end on said shelf, means for holding the plate in an operative position, and an arm connected to the plate and having a hooked extremity arranged to engage the frame in the swung out position of said retaining plate.

In testimony whereof I affix my slgnature in presence of two witnesses.

NEVTON K. BOXVMAN. [Ls] Vitnesses:

V. N. VVoonsoN, FREDERICK S. STITT. 

